Blogging from the Memphis-Tennessee showdown

University of Memphis junior Johnquez Waggoner, 20 (CQ), lets out a cheer while waiting to get into the FedEx Forum prior to the doors opening. Waggoner had been waiting in line since 6 am to get into ESPN Game Day so he could have priority seating for the game.

Bob Winn, University of Memphis Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs converses with Pouncer at the FedEx Forum Saturday morning during the ESPN College Game Day Show for the University of Memphis game with University of Tennessee.

Read Ron Higgins' live blog of the Memphis-Tennessee game from FedEx Forum at thememphisedge.com.

Audio slideshow

Two hours before the start of Saturday's Memphis-Tennessee No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown, the sidedoor at Jillian's in Peabody Place popped open.

Bathed in flash bulbs and escorted by security, a familiar face hopped on the stage and grabbed a microphone.

Yes, that is Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl. Shouldn't he be with his team or something?

But if you know Bruce Pearl, knowing what kind of odds he was facing in FedExForum that would be bathed in Memphis blue, a three-minute drive-by pep rally was his chance to whip the Big Orange faithful into a frenzy.

And he knew exactly what to say.

"We're 40 minutes away being No. 1!," he yelled waving his fist.

When the crowd stopped screaming "Brucccccce," Pearl added, "This is a special night for college basketball all-around the country. These nights are usually reserved for Tobbaco Road and Indiana, but tonight it's in Tennessee.

"This will be our toughest game on the road to the Final Four. We need a stepped up effort

With your help and God willing, we're going to kick their . . ."

That remained to be seen. Because judging from the number of Tiger fans outside of the FedExForum and packing the bars in Beale Street, anyone wearing orange is sorely outnumbered.

One person who drove from Knoxville for the game wasn't a Tennessee fan.

Former Tiger center Todd Mundt, who works as a medical sales rep in Knoxville, got former teammate Tim Duncan to get a pair of tickets through Duncan's `M' Club connections.

Mundt drove cross the state with his wife Kelli and two kids.

"I had a lot of doctors who were jealous of when I told them I had tickets," said Mundt, who started for the Tigers from 1989-92. "It's going to be a good game. I think the team that gets hot from the three-point line will win this game."

-- Ron Higgins

POSTED AT 1:33 P.M.

As the University of Memphis pep band played on the main plaza in front of FedExForum minutes after ESPN's College GameDay inside the Forum had ended, U of M students didn't want to take the risk.

Instead of strolling out of the arena to encircle the band, the students opted to form a line on the north side of the building to ensure a good seat for tonight's college basketball showdown between top-ranked Memphis and No. 2 Tennessee.

"I got in line for GameDay at 5:30 in the morning," said Justin Aaron, a U of M freshman. "And now I'm getting in line again."

Aaron was somewhat miffed by the confusion outside the Forum. Students had formed several disparate lines, but U of M associate athletic director Eddie Cantler, armed with bullhorn, restored order with an announcement regarding the procedure for a game that remained eight hours from its tipoff.

"The ones who came to GameDay are coming into the building first," Cantler said. "They'll come in and go through a security check, get their ID scanned, be handed a seat assignment and we'll start filling the section from the (floor) up."

U of M associate AD Bill Lofton said it marked only the second time this season seat assignments were required.

As crazy as the scene appeared, most of the students seemed to enjoy the atmosphere.

"I wish it was like this for every game," said Zachary Reavis, a sophomore from Dresden, Tenn. "I got here at 5:45 and I bet there were 2,220 here by 7. I was kind of surprised. I didn't expect that many to show."

-- Phil Stukenborg

POSTED AT 11 A.M.

The trash talking began in Section 104 of FedExForum shortly before 9 a.m. when arena officials began allowing fans to enter the building.

ESPN's College GameDay crew -- Rece Davis, Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas and Hubert Davis -- were setting up near midcourt for the live show and in Section 104 Matt Emison, Brent Parrish and Meghan Pinkley were bracing themselves for an onslaught of mostly lighthearted verbal abuse.

As the fans, mostly Memphis students, settled into their seats, Emison, Parrish and Pinkley -- Union University students adorned in bright Tennessee orange -- stood out in a sea of Tiger blue.

"We're hearing it all today,'' Emison, 19, said. ``We've been in line here since 4 in the morning and getting booed the whole time.''

Such was the risk for the trio, who were in Memphis to cheer their second-ranked Volunteers against the top-ranked Tigers and take in the early morning, pregame atmosphere.

While there was no shortage of volume among the crowd estimated at 2,100 by U of M officials, it was evident there had been a shortage of sleep. Several in the crowd took naps, despite the noise.

Ashley Warren, a former Tiger cheerleader who graduated in August, said she left her home in Cordova at 5:30 a.m. U of M students Matt Helsel, a junior nursing major from Memphis, and Cal Overman, a freshman from Lexington, Tenn., stayed up through the night, as did freshman Taylor Fortney, a jazz performance major.

Fortney, who sat on the row in front of Emison, Parrish and Pinkley, admired the courage of the trio.

``I guess if I had tickets to watch Memphis play in Knoxville, I'd wear my school colors, too,'' Fortney said. ``You've got to be courageous to be a fan.''

The crowd, which packed into the lower bowl and one club-level section behind the ESPN set, wasn't entirely students.

Mike Dreve, 59, of Germantown and a Tiger Scholarship Fund member, said he woke up around 6 a.m. and convinced his wife, Mary, a 1974 Tennessee graduate, to come, too. She was adorned in Tiger blue.

``I had to come,'' he said. ``How many times are you going to be No. 1 in the country and playing No. 2 in the country. This is the biggest event we've ever had in Memphis sports.''

-- Phil Stukenborg

POSTED AT 9:25 A.M.

As the doors to FedExForum opened at 8:45 a.m. to let the crowd of more than a thousand in for ESPN's College GameDay confusion ensued as they let students in and sent others to wait in a second line.

"There were no directions, just confusion as everyone waited in one huge line to get in," said Louis Griffith, a 2005 University of Memphis graduate, who waited in line -- with half of his face painted blue -- since 4:30 a.m.

Valencia Sims, a University of Memphis student from Holly Springs, Miss., arrived at 8 a.m. and stood at the end of the student line inside the warmth of FedExForum's lobby. Even though it was cold outside, she said, "It's going to be worth it when we get in for the game, tonight."

Even the youngest Tiger fans stood out in the cold to wait a chance to get in the arena. Nineteen-month-old Sawyer Twombly, dressed up in his tiger costume, clung to his dad on the front steps. "We came the last time GameDay was in town and we wanted him to get to see the cheerleaders and the band," said Mom, Cory Twomble.

Cynthie Wong, who moved to Memphis in August from Knoxville, stood in the public line wearing a Bruce Pearl shirt. She predicted a close game that would "come down to free throw shooting."

After the student line was processed through security, members of the general public were let in the arena.

-- Lannie Byrd

POSTED AT 7:35 A.M.

It's too late.

The street parking is gone and there were well over 1,000 fans lined up in front of FedExForum at shortly before 7 a.m. to get into the building for ESPN's broadcast of "GameDay."

The line is moving slowly but if you haven't left the house yet you better hurry. And bring something warm... to wear. The weather is cold but the line of fans is hot.

Starbucks fueled University of Memphis senior Brandon Henderson, sporting a bright, blue wig and Elvis glasses. He had been in line since 4:45 a.m. He has the Tigers winning 85-75.

The occasional Volunteer fan with the audacity to walk by the line of Tiger fans solicited an emotional anti-welcome that was only matched by the equally warm reception for the Red Bull vendor.

Sophomore Kristin Gehringer had her hands full. She was last seen waving a sign that said, "CDR the only Chris we know" an obvious slam on Volunteer player Chris Lofton. When asked about the sign, Gerhinger replied, "I've got like five more." She has the Tigers winning 98-74.

-- Scott Sines

POSTED AT 5:54 A.M.

Get on your feet and out the door.

If you're a Tiger student looking for a ticket to today's game you better get going. At 5:30 a.m. a group of about 75 students were milling around the plaza at FedExForum and people were streaming toward the building, trying to form a line to get tickets. They were told that the line couldn't form until 6 a.m., according to Cody Rickert a University of Memphis student.

"They told us we're not allowed on the property," Rickert said. "What do they expect? It's the biggest game in the school's history."

Rickert predicted a game score of 86-76 Memphis.

His friend Taylor Burton, a senior at U of M, suggested that the University implement a seniority system for allotting tickets. Burton says the Tigers will win 82-68.

James Wilkie had been in line before 5:00am and admittedly, "been drinking all night." He had a room at the Westin and planned a pregame nap. Wilkie has the Tigers by six.